Cheese snack ends in clinical death for Kazakh man

Tengrinews.kz — An ambulance crew saved a 50-year-old man in North Kazakhstan Region who had choked on chechil cheese and was in a state of clinical death due to asphyxia.
According to the press service of the regional emergency medical center, the call to 103 came from the village of Beskol in Kyzylzhar District. The reason for the call was that a man was suffocating.

“An ambulance paramedic team consisting of Aidar Omarov, Pavel Kuzurman and driver Bakhyt Valeyev immediately left for the scene. By the time the team arrived, the patient was already in a state of clinical death, with no pulse on the ECG monitor,” the medical institution reported.

The paramedics began resuscitation procedures in line with ACLS standards: they performed chest compressions, connected the patient to a ventilator and administered adrenaline intravenously.
During direct laryngoscopy, the paramedics found and removed a foreign body — chechil cheese. After that, the patient’s pulse appeared in the carotid arteries, but he still was not breathing and did not regain consciousness.
Photo courtesy of the North Kazakhstan Regional Emergency Medical Center
The medical workers then carried out post-resuscitation measures: they ensured airway patency through an endotracheal tube, continued artificial ventilation of the lungs and administered medication.

“During transportation to the hospital, the patient began breathing on his own. He was hospitalized at Kyzylzhar District Hospital with a level of consciousness described as ‘mild obtundation.’ At the moment, there is no threat to the patient’s life or health,” the regional emergency medical center said.

The medical institution’s press service also provided details about the man’s rescuers.

“Aidar Omarov was a prize-winner at the national championship for ambulance crews in Aktau in 2025. He actively shares his knowledge with colleagues at work. Pavel Kuzurman has repeatedly completed training and certification as a tracer under international BLS, ACLS, PALS, PHTLS and NRP standards. Bakhyt Valeyev actively participates in providing care to patients and injured people at the emergency medical care stage,” the center said of its employees.

Photo courtesy of the North Kazakhstan Regional Emergency Medical Center